Our Staff

We are staffed with two Registered Dietitians, Exercise Specialist, Clinical Psychologist, and the finest board certified pediatric Gastroenterologists and Nurse Practitioners.

Our Physicians include Youhanna S. Al-Tawil, MD, Medical Director, Clarisa Cuevas, MD, and Alexandra Eidelwein, MD.

We also have a Nurse Practitioner, Janice Mills, CPNP-AC.

In addition, our Registered Dietitians, Sandy Altizer, RD, LDN & Ashley Rogers, MS, RD, LDN will provide assistance to overweight pediatric patients facing a wide variety of nutritional and dietary issues.

Our Psychologist, Dr. Regina Hummel, PhD, will offer support to those who need emotional assistance with their weight management.

Our Exercise Specialist, Kathy Butcher, MPH, will engage kids by improving their physical activity levels.

GI for Kids, PLLC
2100 Clinch Avenue
Medical Office Building, Suite 510
Knoxville, TN 37916
Phone: (865) 546-3998
Fax: (865) 546-1123
Website: www.giforkids.com

View our brochure here.

Our 16-week Program:

  • Follow a healthy, well-balanced diet
  • Identify and avoid high-calorie, low-nutrient foods
  • Develop better physical activity habits
  • Maintain a healthy weight long-term
  • At least one legal guardian must agree to attend each weekly session with his/her child.
  • Families must be sure before they enroll that they will not miss more than two sessions in a row. They must also make an effort to attend all or almost all of the sessions. This ensures a child’s progress is not disrupted.
  • Both the parent AND the child must WANT to join the program.
  • Please Note: Making lasting changes in eating and exercise habits is very difficult and requires a serious commitment from both children and their parents. To enroll, BOTH the child and legal guardian must agree to complete the program together. Teamwork is the key to success. We cannot enroll children who are not interested in making this commitment, even if their parents are very interested. If a child is not willing to commit to the program, it may be better to delay participation until the child is ready.

Eligibility and Enrollment

The child or adolescent must have a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than the 95th percentile according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) BMI chart. Children or adolescents with a BMI greater than the 85th percentile may also be eligible if they have an overweight parent, a medical complication (comorbidity), or a family history of comorbidities.

What is BMI?

  • Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a child’s weight and height. BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness for most children and teens. BMI does not measure body fat directly, but research has shown that BMI correlates to direct measures of body fat. BMI can be considered an alternative for direct measures of body fat. Additionally, BMI is an inexpensive and easy-to-perform method of screening for weight categories that may lead to health problems. (CDC website)
  • You can use this calculator to determine your child's BMI. Then, compare that value to these tables:

Not sure if your child qualifies? Please contact us and we will be glad to discuss your options: GI for Kids, PLLC at (865) 546-3998

Take a peek at some of the class topics:

  • Dining on the Go
    • Let the latest information on local restaurants and learn how to make the healthiest choices for your busy lifestyle.
  • Reading food labels
    • Learn how to read labels and make the best choices for your family at home.
  • Snacking
    • Learn what foods are the best choices for those in-between meal cravings.
  • Grocery shopping
    • Having trouble knowing which foods to buy? Let our experts help you decide.

Cost of Program

    $500.00
  • Lab work is not included with the cost of the program. Lab work should be obtained by primary care physician prior to starting the program.
  • Please contact our office to discuss payment options.

LINKS:

Click here for enrollment information and forms.

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